Path For Passage Of Arkansas Works Exists

February 19, 2018CrainMedia

State Sen. Ron Caldwell, R-Wynne, and Rep. Vivian Flowers, D-Pine Bluff, both contend that a path for passage of Arkansas Works exists in this fiscal session, but both say their votes are dependent on how federal waivers will affect the program. The two Delta legislators also said they have stipulations before agreeing to any future tax cuts, such as the $180 million top income tax bracket reduction pushed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Appearing on this week’s edition of Talk Business & Politics, Caldwell said that he is a ‘maybe’ on Arkansas Works, the always controversial Medicaid expansion program that requires a 75% vote from both chambers of the General Assembly. Caldwell did not vote for or against the Department of Human Services budget measure that contained Arkansas Works in the 2017 regular session, while Flowers did vote yes.

Flowers was asked if federal waiver requests could make Arkansas Works too conservative for her to support. MORE